Revealed: the lax laws that could allow assembly of deadly virus DNA

The Guardian ^ | 6/14/06 | James Randerson

[Oshkalaboomboom]

Urgent calls for regulation after Guardian buys part of smallpox genome through mail order

DNA sequences from some of the most deadly pathogens known to man can be bought over the internet, the Guardian has discovered. In an investigation which shows the ease with which terrorist organisations could obtain the basic ingredients of biological weapons, this newspaper obtained a short sequence of smallpox DNA. The deadly virus has existed only in laboratories since being eradicated from the world's population 30 years ago.

The DNA sequence of smallpox, as well as other potentially dangerous pathogens such as poliovirus and 1918 flu are freely available in online public databases. So to build a virus from scratch, a terrorist would simply order consecutive lengths of DNA along the sequence and glue them together in the correct order. This is beyond the skills and equipment of the kitchen chemist, but could be achieved by a well-funded terrorist with access to a basic lab and PhD-level personnel.

One study estimated that because most people on the planet have no resistance to the extinct virus, an initial release which infected just 10 people would spread to 2.2 million people in 180 days.

The DNA sample we ordered had, at our request, three small modifications to render it harmless before it was sent by post to a residential address in London. The company has since conceded that it was not aware it was sending out a sequence of modified smallpox DNA.

(snip)

Of the four main companies operating in the UK, none currently screens all their DNA orders. There are 39 companies operating in North America and not all screen their orders.

[Oshkalaboomboom]

Interesting breach of security, every once in a while the media do the public a service by pointing out weaknesses in the system. The Guardian is basically a birdcage liner but I'll give credit when credit is due.

[mtbopfuyn]

I've often thought terrorists would buy bio hazards through these labs.

[butternut_squash_bisque]

Scary stuff, IMO.

[BadAndy]

Alarmist nonsense. An effort to build a smallpox virus from 70 basepair sections would take a decade and a team of Ph.Ds with very sophisticated equipment including cell culture facilities. This is not something that can be easily accomplished by a terrorist cell.

[JCEccles]

Intelligent reverse engineering? Someone get Judge Jones on the case. The fundies are playing their creationist games again. Everyone knows, because Darwin received the holy writ on the Galapagos Islands, that life only proceeds by blind, chance mutation and natural selection. Arguing that intelligence can intrude to recombine DNA to a specific pattern and form is like arguing that woman was made from man's rib. Pure creationist foolishness and poppycock. Right PH?

< / sarcasm>

[CarolinaGuitarman]

Don't post to me again with your twaddle. Nobody has claimed that people can't design things.

You're trolling for a crevo fight, on a thread that is unrelated. There are posting rules against such things...

[pgyanke]

Who peed in your Wheaties?